Many cardiac arrhythmias that formerly required the use of potentially toxic drugs or cardiac surgery can now be routinely cured (or at least palliated) in the electrophysiology laboratory by means of transcatheter ablation techniques. As shown in conjunction with FIG. 1, the basic idea behind transcatheter ablation is to position an electrode catheter 37 to a critical area within the heart 52, and to apply damaging energy through the catheter in order to create a discrete scar. Strategically placed scar tissue, since it is electrically inert, can disrupt the pathways necessary for pathologic tachyarrhythmias.
Generally, for a typical ablation procedure, an EP study is performed first. Typically, in the EP study the electrical properties of the conduction system are studied, and an attempt is made to induce and study the patient's clinical arrhythmia. Once the patient's clinical arrhythmia is induced, it may be terminated with pacing or the patient may be left in arrhythmia and ablated while still in clinical arrhythmia. A 3-D mapping system is frequently used to guide the ablation procedure. The 3-D mapping system generally has the capability for 3-D reconstruction of the cardiac anatomy on a computer screen. A 3-D mapping system can be useful in some very complex ablation procedures that require computerized 3-D reconstruction, such as atrial fibrillation procedures. Examples of currently available 3-D mapping systems are Biosense Webster's Carto® mapping system, which is electromagnetic based, and St Jude's-ESI Navix® mapping system which is based on electrical impedance. St Jude-ESI also has an Array® mapping system in which a balloon is placed inside cardiac chamber.
In contrast to 3D mapping systems, EP recording/monitoring systems currently do not do 3D reconstruction of the heart. Generally, a patient in the EP Lab is also connected to an EP recording/monitoring system for performing an EP study and storing and achieving the EP Study information.
EP recoding/monitoring systems are currently manufactured and marketed by GE Healthcare—CardioLab Pruca® system, CR Bard—Lab System PRO RP®, and St Jude's EP Med Systems®.